The Mineola Lady Jackets have already seen a good bit of court time before the school year starts, winning the consolation plaque in the Van tournament this weekend. The Junior Varsity Lady Jackets brought home some hardware themselves, winning their bracket in the Eustace Tournament this weekend.

For the varsity Lady Jackets, in pool play they started out losing to Quinlan Ford, Brownsboro, and John Tyler. They placed fourth in pool play to be placed in the Silver Bracket.

However, in bracket play, the girls hesitated, but then began a comeback. They lost to Tyler Chapel Hill, beat Gladewater, and beat Arp 25-19, 25-21 to win consolation on Saturday.

Coach Kerry VanCleave said, “Saturday started with a rough go against Tyler Chapel Hill, but they ended on a high note by stepping it up and making things happen in the next two games. Lots of good things came together and the girls started to find a way to make things happen. We had a great ending to the day by winning consolation which shows the girls that it doesn’t matter how we start but how we finish.”

VanCleave was also proud of the JV girls for winning their bracket in the Eustace Tournament this weekend.

Last Tuesday theVarsity Lady Jackets played Gladewater and Sabine. Mineola beat Gladewater in three, 25-23, 25-22 and 25-23. Sabria Dean is credited with four kills, eight blocks and two aces.

Then the girls turned around and suffered a defeat from Sabine the same day, again in three games. Scores were 25-10, 25-18 and 25-12. In that game, Jessiah Riley had two aces, three kills and one block. Dean had four kills and one block. Tahjae Black had two kills and one block.

VanCleave said that the girls struggled with Sabine from the start. “Set two we picked it up and made things happen,” she said. The coach said there were lots of good things that happened transition-wise, defensively and offensively. “But we couldn’t remain consistent and have the score board reflect the good things we’d done,” she said. “If we can take the positives and build off them we are going to be in a good place.”

The Lady Jackets played Westwood Tuesday in Westwood, after Monitor press time.

They are preparing to play in the Wills Point tournament Friday and Saturday. The junior varsity will play Quitman on Saturday, in Quitman.